Mini-Crisis
Generally speaking I'm able to manage how I think and how I feel pretty well. I've been provided with a variety of tools and have learned a few of my own that work for me, that allow me to manage my states of mind.
The qualifier there is 'generally'. The other day there was an incident, an event that was on continuous re-play over and over through my mind well on into the night and eventually it had taken it's toll. None of the things that I applied to it were doing the trick this time. My mood sailed straight down and I was in the pit. I'd also gotten really agitated so that wasn't a good combination - anxious and depressed. One of the things that is stressed and reinforced to us is that when we get in these states, we mustn't isolate; we need to reach out.
I was in a quandary though. Although I know hundreds of 'program' people around here I don't know too many that would be thrilled to hear from me at 3 a.m. In one of my all too rare flashes of brilliance I thought of time-shifting; of someone who ought to be just getting up to start the day in their part of the world. It was worth a try....so I dashed off a quick email to see if they were handy to their computer and in two minutes I had a reply. So lucky!! I was treated to exactly what I needed; some valuable outside perspective on the situation and heartfelt advice. With 6 or 8 emails back and forth over a 20 minute period I was restored to a semblance of sanity, if not serenity.
That's one of the things I love about 'blogdom'. Over the course of time by reading folks blogs, by commenting publicly on each others posts and emailing each other privately for the more personal stuff we come to know one another and to care about those in our little community. Even when we're half a world apart we can and do help one another. I was the grateful recipient of some of that help on this black night.
Thank you; I'm glad you're out there.
The qualifier there is 'generally'. The other day there was an incident, an event that was on continuous re-play over and over through my mind well on into the night and eventually it had taken it's toll. None of the things that I applied to it were doing the trick this time. My mood sailed straight down and I was in the pit. I'd also gotten really agitated so that wasn't a good combination - anxious and depressed. One of the things that is stressed and reinforced to us is that when we get in these states, we mustn't isolate; we need to reach out.
I was in a quandary though. Although I know hundreds of 'program' people around here I don't know too many that would be thrilled to hear from me at 3 a.m. In one of my all too rare flashes of brilliance I thought of time-shifting; of someone who ought to be just getting up to start the day in their part of the world. It was worth a try....so I dashed off a quick email to see if they were handy to their computer and in two minutes I had a reply. So lucky!! I was treated to exactly what I needed; some valuable outside perspective on the situation and heartfelt advice. With 6 or 8 emails back and forth over a 20 minute period I was restored to a semblance of sanity, if not serenity.
That's one of the things I love about 'blogdom'. Over the course of time by reading folks blogs, by commenting publicly on each others posts and emailing each other privately for the more personal stuff we come to know one another and to care about those in our little community. Even when we're half a world apart we can and do help one another. I was the grateful recipient of some of that help on this black night.
Thank you; I'm glad you're out there.
posted by Norm at 6/03/2007 01:06:00 AM
2 Comments:
"Time-shifting." I hadn't thought of that way. There's been a few times I've had to resort to that, too.
The internet can be a wonderful thing, that's for sure. :)
I was certainly grateful in that time and head space - glad it occurred to me to try.
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